I was left alone in the mansion, waiting on the terrace for Alpha Magnus to return. From a distance, I saw a figure approaching, and my heart leaped with excitement, thinking it was my mate. But that excitement quickly turned to dread when I recognized the familiar face of an enemy.
I turned to escape, but before I could move, the wolf reached me and grabbed my hair.
"So, you've been hiding in the den of our enemies, huh?"
It was my elder brother, Asher—the one who had always opposed my relationship with Alpha Magnus. I had abandoned our pack after discovering my grandfather’s dark secret: he had murdered my mother. For years, he had deceived us, making us believe that Alpha Magnus’s father was the real killer. But the truth had finally surfaced. That’s why I had sought refuge with the Shadow Pack.
"Brother! Please, don't kill me," I begged, terrified of what he might do, especially knowing that my grandfather had declared me a traitor and wanted me dead.
Asher’s gaze was cold. "I won't kill you, Astrid. But I will destroy the disgrace inside you!"
My eyes widened in horror as his claws slashed across my stomach, the very place where I had been protecting Alpha Magnus's baby.
Pain shot through me, and I collapsed, gasping for air. My hands trembled as I clutched my bleeding stomach, tears blurring my vision.
"This is your consequence, Astrid," Asher said, his voice devoid of sympathy. "You abandoned us for that damned Alpha, and he's been cheating on you with his Beta all along."
His words cut deeper than his claws.
I lay there, bleeding, my voice lost to agony. The world around me blurred, and all I could hear was the sound of my brother walking away, leaving me in a pool of my own blood.
That night changed my life forever.
I lost two things that could never be replaced: the innocent life of my child and my blind trust in Alpha Magnus.
After I recovered, I made my decision—I would return to the Crimson Pack. Even if they despised me for once choosing our enemy, I no longer cared. I had only one purpose left.
Revenge.
When Alpha Magnus finally returned, he showed no excitement upon seeing me after months apart. He had no idea I had been pregnant. I had planned to surprise him with the news. But Asher had stolen that dream from me when he murdered my child, claiming it was to protect me from execution by our grandfather.
"I'm sorry it took me so long to come back," Magnus said, though I hadn’t asked. "We got stranded in a snowstorm."
I remained silent. I was no longer foolish enough to believe his lies. I knew exactly where he had been and who he had been with. Asher had told me everything.
"Astrid? Are you okay?" Magnus asked, moving closer. "You seem distant."
"I'm fine. Just tired," I forced a smile, though inside, I wanted to scream at him.
"Then rest," he said, before pulling something from his pocket. "I have a surprise for you."
I stared at the necklace in his hands and arrow-shaped pendant.
I almost laughed at the irony. "Why are you giving me this? There’s no special occasion, right?"
A flicker of discomfort crossed his face. "I just thought of you when I saw it…, because I love you."
He reached out to place it around my neck, but I instinctively stepped back. His brows furrowed in confusion.
"You don’t like it?" he asked.
I clenched my fists, my voice cold. "Magnus, have you forgotten what that symbol means to me?"
He blinked, realization dawning on him. "Astrid, I—I'm sorry."
Memories crashed over me—memories of my mother’s death. I could still see the arrow piercing her heart, the blood staining the snow. And here Magnus stood, offering me an arrow pendant, as if he had never truly listened to anything I had told him.
How could he be so careless with my pain while so fiercely protecting Ingrid?
Asher had told me he had tried to kill Ingrid for my sake, but Magnus had fought to protect her. He had chosen her, defended her. Meanwhile, my suffering meant nothing to him.
"Astrid, why are you acting like this?" Magnus cupped my face, but I immediately pushed his hands away.
"I'm not angry," I said. My voice is void of emotion. "I just don’t feel well."
He looked confused, as if he truly didn’t understand what he had done.
"Come on, tell me what’s wrong," he insisted. "I haven't seen you in months. I had no idea what happened to you—"
"It’s fine, Magnus," I cut him off. "I can take care of myself."
I turned away, continuing to pack my things.
I thought he would notice. I thought he would ask why I was packing, why I was leaving. But instead, he turned a blind eye.
The door opened, and Ingrid stepped inside.
"Magnus, there's an urgent meeting with your father," she said, but her eyes flickered toward me, full of meaning.
My fists tightened at the sight of them together. They had been betraying me for so long—laughing behind my back, sharing moments I had once believed were meant for me.
Magnus looked at me briefly. "I'll be back later, okay? Wait for me."
I nodded, but I had no intention of waiting for him ever again.
As soon as the door closed behind them, I resumed packing, faster this time.
I grabbed my phone and dialed Asher’s number.
"Brother," I said, my voice steady, "come pick me up tonight. I'm leaving the Shadow Pack."
